Journal box and drive structure for narrow gauge locomotives



1955 E. w. SCHELLENTRAGER 2,699,732

JOURNAL BOX AND DRIVE STRUCTURE FOR NARROW GAUGE LOCOMOTIVES Filed July 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. a Evas ve VV. Jcnauwmnem BY .4 2344M; Dow

A TI'OHVVEYG 1955 E. w. SCHELLE'NTRAGER 2,699,732

JOURNAL BOX AND DRIVE STRUCTURE FOR NARROW GAUGE LOCOMOTIVES Filed July 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 1* fuss: W JcHe'LLEIvr/MGER 3%, @DMW 1955 E. w. SCHELLENTRAGER 2,699,732

JOURNAL BOX AND DRIVE STRUCTURE FOR NARROW GAUGE LOCOMOTIVES 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 6, 1950 INVENTOR. [UGENE W \SCHELLENI'RA GER Arron/viva United States Patent" JOURNAL BOX AND DRIVE STRUCTURE FOR NARROW GAUGE LOCOMOTIVES Eugene W. Schellentrager, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Atlas Bolt & Screw Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 6, 1950, Serial No. 172,286

2 Claims. (Cl. 105-133) This invention pertains to a combined driving and journal mechanism for railway cars and more particularly to such a mechanism for use in cars of the narrowgauge self-powered type.

There are many applications, particularly in mining operations, where the space is quite restricted and serious difficulty is encountered in the use of locomotives and cars having the well-known external journal boxes. Therefore, it has become extremely desirable to have a locomotive and cars in which the over-all width does not substantially exceed the width over the wheels. Heretofore, however, it has been difiicult to compress the driving elements, the motor, and the journal boxes into the restricted space available between the wheels of a narrow gauge car of the type commonly used in mining operations, and particularly so without sacrificing efiiciency.

An object of the present invention is to provide a driving mechanism for railway cars wherein the driving elements and journal boxes are combined, thereby eliminating the journal box as such and thus reducing the over-all width of the car.

Another object is to provide such a mechanism having a minimum number of gears whereby to keep friction and power losses at a very low value.

Another object is to provide such a mechanism having all the gearing in a single horizontally-divided housing, thereby providing convenient access as well as efficient lubrication means.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description.

In the drawing, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout,

Fig. l is a top plan view of an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the embodiment with one whgel removed to more clearly show the casing parts; an

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the main body housing or casing is formed in two parts, an upper section 11 and a lower section 12 joined by bolts 13 through the upper and lower section lips 11a and 12a respectively. A motor 14, which provides the main driving power, is held in position on the front of the main body casing by a swiugable nose portion 15 which is hinged at 16 to the lower section of the main body casing 12 and joined to the upper section by bolts 17. The bolts 18 also join the upper and lower sections just behind the motor 14.

A pinion gear 20 is mounted on the motor drive shaft 21 by means of a bolt and washer combination 22 and is enclosed within the removable casing section 23 which is joined to the upper and lower main body casing sections by bolts 24.

Driven by the pinion gear 20 is a large spur gear 27 keyed to a transmission shaft 28 adjacent the supporting bearing assembly 29a, being retained by the nut 30a on a threaded extension of the shaft. Spaced apart from the bearing face 29a by the enlarged shaft portion 28a is a pinion gear 31, keyed to the shaft 28 and held in position by the sleeve 32, the bearing assembly 29b, and the retaining nut 30b. Opposite nut 30a is a boss 33 formed by enlarged portions 11b and 12b of easing sections 11 and 12, through which an aperture 34, closed by a cover plate 35, provides access to the interior.

Mounted on the main axle 40 is a large spur gear 41 which is driven by the pinion 31 previously mentioned.

Enlarged boss portions 110 and 120. of the upper and lower main body casingsections, respectively, form journal housings for the axle40 which is supported, therein by double-row ball bearing assemblies 42 which bear against the. axle-shoulders. 40a; The bearing assemblies are retained in position by the plates 44, having cut-out portions 45 therein, and-bydhe plates 46'. The bolts 47 hold the plates 44 in position, and the bolts 48.- hold; the plates 46 in position. Generally the cut-out portions 45 of plates 44 are filled with packing of any conventional type which acts as sealing means to prevent the entrance gt dirt into the bearings and the escape of lubricant thererom.

In operation, the interior of the housing contains a quantity of lubricant which may be replenished through the aperture in the projection 51 of the upper casing section 11 into which a plug 52 is threaded. Drain holes are provided by the removable plug 53 in the bottom central portion of the casing underneath the axle 28 and by the plug 55 below the main axle 40. The plug 54 provides means for establishing the proper oil level in the casing; that is, the casing is filled with lubricant until it overflows at the plug 54.

A railway car or locomotive frame (not shown) is mounted on the assembly, being supported on the yoke and pin connection, generally referred to by the numeral 58, located at the extreme front of the housing, and on the bosses or bumpers 59 on the upper casing section 11, approximately above the bearing assemblies 42.

It is seen that the embodiment described and illustrated herein provides a mechanism having a minimum number of gears in the driving sectiona double reduction spur gear arrangement-which is totally enclosed in a single housing. In order to minimize leakage of the lubricant from inside the casing, it is divided on a substantially horizontal plane rather than on a vertical. plane.

The journal boxes as such have been eliminated entirely and their function integrated with that of the drive bearings. Therefore, the over-all width of the car need be no greater than the width over the wheels. Because of the absence of journal boxes and frame structure, the braking mechanism, which is normally mounted alongside the wheels, is readily accessible for repair and service, and rerailment is likewise easier after the locomotive leaves the track as occasionally happens in mining service.

The use of my combined driving and journal mechanism in restricted spaces is rendered possible by the fact that the housing, comprising the sections 11 and 12, is contained within vertical parallel planes coincident with the outer faces of the wheels 50, which wheels are at the extreme termini of their axles.

Various changes in details and arrangement of parts can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a locomotive structure for a narrow gauge railroad, a power unit, means for pivotally connecting said power unit with the balance of said structure, said power unit comprising a housing, means in said housing for enclosing a gear case chamber to receive and retain lubricant in the lower part thereof, said gear case chamber having a pair of opposed side walls, each said side wall being provided with a journal bearing, said journal bearings being in axial alignment, said power unit being carried solely on a single axle, said axle having spaced intermediate portions, one such portion in each said bearing, and said axle having opposite end portions extending through said bearings and outwardly beyond said respective side walls, said opposite end portions at their two terminal extremities having respective driving wheels thereon, a transmission shaft supported in bearings carried by said opposed side walls, said housing also having means defining a motor support, an electric motor on said support for driving said single axle, said motor having a drive shaft end portion extending into said gear case, power transmission gearing between said drive shaft end portion and said transmission shaft,

0 and between said transmission shaft and said axle, said transmission shaft being totally enclosed in said gear case whereby to be splash lubricated by lubricant in said gear case, said pivotal connection permitting said wheels to remain in contact with their respective track rails despite irregularities in track level.

2. Mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing is contained within vertical parallel planes coincident with the outer faces of the wheels.

1,125,039 Bauroth Jan. 19, 1915 Batchelder Sept. 3, 1918 Backer Nov. 22, 1921 Buchli Ian. 10, 1928 Buchli Jan. 24, 1928 Schellentragcr Apr. 21, 1931 Bethel July 7, 1931 

